A Collection of Lacrimas
by HazelDragonNora
Summary: Why'd you run away from home, Lucy? "Of course I ran away from home! My father installed a lacrima in my body." A collection of short stories about mages who've been installed with lacrimas. They'll all connect in the end.


I really shouldn't be writing this when I still have _Princess Converter Pirate_ to update... *heh heh* Please don't kill me .

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail, but Hiro Mashima does!**

* * *

**July 1****st****, X777**

"Daddy! I made you a rice ball!" Lucy placed the lovingly made rice ball next to the stack of paperwork. The older Heartfilia didn't even glance up.

"I'm busy right now." He answered curtly.

"But it's a rice ball. And I made it myself!" The little girl was unaware of her father's frowning as she continued to ramble on. "Mr. Cook didn't even help m-"

"LUCY!" The chair fell over and Jude slammed a fist on his desk. "I told you, I'M BUSY. Now," He glared at the trembling girl. "Leave my office."

She ran from the room, unaware of the tears that would follow during the week.

"B-but, today's my birthday…"

xLacrimasx

"Oh, honey," Layla swept the child up in a hug. "I'm sure your father wasn't angry at you and he certainly didn't forget your birthday."

Lucy sniffled in her mother's embrace. "He y-yelled at me, Mama."

"Hush, my little princess," Layla patted Lucy's head and hugged her even closer. "He probably has a grand present just waiting for you. Don't worry." She said even though she was quite concerned herself.

Almost a week passed before Jude Heartfilia emerged from his office again.

* * *

**July 7****th****, X777**

"Lady Layla, Mistress Lucy, Sir Jude would like to see you." Mrs. Spetto informed them when Layla opened the door. Lucy peeked out from behind her mother's legs and grinned when she saw Mrs. Spetto.

"Mrs. Spetto! Mrs. Spetto! Can we go play in the garden?" She asked hopefully, but the older woman sighed and smiled fondly at Lucy.

"Not right now, Lucy. Your father wishes to speak with you."  
"Aww…"

"We'll get dressed and be there right away." Layla smiled and Mrs. Spetto nodded, and retreated from the bedchamber.

xLacrimasx

"Layla, you're looking beautiful today." Jude smiled and kissed his wife's pale hand as she took a seat next to him. She was wearing a fancy pink gown with frills and ruffles on the skirt's hem.

"What about me, Daddy? Momma says I look like a princess!" Lucy squealed as she bounced on her cushioned chair. Jude hid his frown and smiled awkwardly.

"You look exactly like a princess, Lucy. Princesses don't bounce in their chairs, though." He said and Lucy stopped bouncing.

"Now, I have a surprise for you, Lucy. As your mom and I have decided," Jude cleared his throat expectantly while Layla frowned in confusion. "You shall be given a _very_ special lacrima."

Layla gasped and grabbed her husband's arm, but Jude just shook her off. He stared at Lucy and his face became… colder.

"Ooh! What's that, Daddy?" Lucy looked at him excitedly. She was still too young to read the mood. Jude smiled weirdly.

"It's a shiny, sparkly crystal that Dr. Brown shall install for you." He clapped his hands and the doors to the dining room opened. A troop of four guards escorted a man sporting a lab coat and a pair of glasses into the room.

"Jude!" Layla gasped. "I never-"

"Doctor," Jude nodded at Lucy, who looked at the soldiers confusedly. "If you will."

"Lucy!" Layla stood up and grabbed for her daughter, but Jude held her arm.

"You will not interfere, Layla." Jude commanded as the soldiers advanced towards the frightened Lucy. "It's for the best, and your health condition will get better as well."

"MOMMA!" Lucy wailed as the guards dragged her unceremoniously out of the room.

Dr. Brown stayed behind for a moment to nod to Jude and the shocked Layla. "The process shall begin immediately." He said, his glasses gleaming for a second in the lamplight. Then, he left.

"No…" Layla gasped and promptly collapsed, clutching at her heart.

xLacrimasx

They brought her to a small, brightly lit room bare of everything except a large table and a cart in the center of the room.

"Let me go!" Lucy screamed and flailed around. The guards were undeterred by her tantrum.

"You, Roger, hold down her legs. Alan, strap down her arms and chest. Hurry up Brian! Get her head down!" One guard – Brian – shot her a sympathetic look as he stuffed a large helmet over her head, but she continued screaming.

"God dammit, Roger!" The guard in command shouted over the noise. "Stuff a rag or somefin' in her mouth!"  
Roger shoved a wadded ball of cloth in her mouth and she choked on the fabric, unable to make a noise. She breathed through her nose and tried to flail around, but the straps held her down.

_Momma! Where are you?_ Tears began to well up in Lucy's eyes. _What do these people want with me?_

The door across the room opened and the doctor entered. The guards filed out and closed the door behind them

Dr. Brown scanned the room with predatory looking eyes and locked on Lucy's still, trembling form.

"Why, hello little girl. Lucy, if I remember correctly." He walked over to the table and poked her side. "Hmm, this is your lucky day. You're going to get a very special lacrima inside your body."

Lucy's heart stopped for a second, and then began to thump faster than ever. _Poppa didn't tell me this…_

"Don't worry, this won't hurt – very much." Dr. Brown snickered and turned around to pull a sharp knife from a tray next to the table.

Lucy took her chance and pulled harder against the straps. With a sudden burst of energy, her leg ripped free from the restraint and she kicked the doctor where she could reach – which was between his legs.

"OWWWW!" Dr. Brown howled and collapsed onto the floor, clutching his injured part. Brian the guard rushed into the room and after seeing the injured and probably very traumatized doctor on the floor, he ran over to Lucy and raised a knife over her.

"Brian-!" Another guard ran inside, but Lucy could only focus on the knife that was lowering down, closer and closer to her chest…

And it cut through her restraint.

"Run! Lucy!" He screamed as another guard dragged him away. Lucy froze in shock. She was… free.

Finally, she snapped out of it, spat out the wad of cloth, and jumped off the bed, but by then it was too late. They strapped her back onto the operating table and then Dr. Brown stood up with a syringe in one hand and the other hand clutching his family jewels.

"I'll give this little devil a tranquilizer shot." He grinned and advanced menacingly towards Lucy. She prepared to scream, but the needle jabbed into her side and the cold fluid seeped through her body. She fell unconscious.

xLacrimasx

"…"  
"Suc…"

"Oper…"  
"…Magi…"

"…Remo…"

"Wa…"

"…Wake…"

"Luc-…Wa-…Wake-…Wake Up! Lucy! Wake up!" Something sharp jabbed into her side and she screamed. She blinked and closed her eyes again as the bright lights blinded her.

Wait, where was she?

"WAKE UP YOU PIPSQUEAK!" Rough hands grabbed her and pushed her up to a sitting position.

"Wha?" And then it came back to her. The scolding, dinner… and the operation. "What happened to me?" Lucy looked at her body. She looked fine and she felt fine, too. There was only a small urge to-

She bent over and threw up over the edge of the table.

"Ew! Disgusting!" The doctor slapped her and her head turned with a crack. Vomit flew out of her mouth and she leaned over to retch once more.

"This will last for a week. Until then, don't have her eat _anything_." Lucy looked up. Mrs. Spetto was reluctantly nodding to Dr. Brown, whose lab coat was soiled, but she didn't see anyone else.

"Momma?" The two adults turned. Dr. Brown sneered.

"You're awake." He said and turned back to Mrs. Spetto. "I'll be leaving to inform Mr. Heartfilia of a successful operation." He left the room.

With a rustle of sheets, Lucy pivoted around to face Mrs. Spetto.

"Mrs. Spetto, what happened to me?" She asked. The older woman sighed.

"I don't know, dear. Whatever happened can't be much good if you're not allowed to eat for a week." She winked at the little girl. "Don't worry, though, I'll sneak you some food."

Her face turned sad. "You should go see your mother, Lucy."

"What? Did something happen to Momma?" Lucy suddenly sat up straight and pain shot through her skull. "Agh!" She bent over and clutched her head.

"Oh dear. Here, I'll carry you, Lucy." Mrs. Spetto stepped over the puddle of vomit on the floor and cradled Lucy in her arms.

xLacrimasx

"Momma! Momma!" Lucy knelt down next to the hospital bed. Layla Heartfilia smiled weakly at her daughter.

"Lucy… I'm… so glad… that you're… alright…" She took a deep, shuddery breath.

"Are you alright, Momma?" Lucy clutched her mother's fragile hand, a worried look on her face.

"Perfectly fine… dear…" Layla suddenly gasped and her other hand waved wildly in the air. "Mrs. Spetto! My… keys!" The old maid grabbed the ring of keys on the bedside table.

"Here you go, Lady Heartfilia."

"Thank goodness…" Layla sighed in relief and then released Lucy's hand.

"Mum-?" She dropped the keys in Lucy's outstretched palm.

"Keep them… safe for me… be their friend… Lucy…" Layla Heartfilia smiled and turned her head slowly to face her daughter.

A tear trickled down the dying woman's cheek. "I'll always watch… over you… and… love you…" She breathed her last breath, and Layla Heartfilia died smiling.

* * *

Lucy only stayed for the funeral, which was the next day. The entire time she avoided her father, and stood underneath the Sakura tree in the garden dressed in a black cloak.

When the mourners and other well-wishers finally drifted away, Lucy stepped out from the tree. She laid a bouquet of dark crimson roses and pink carnations onto the grave before taking a few steps backwards and bowing.

She looked up at the window where Mrs. Spetto was looking at her anxiously, and gave a wave.

"Goodbye," She said, not caring whether the man in the study with curtained windows heard or not. "Father."

With one final look at the Heartfilia mansion and her mother's grave, Lucy Heartfilia left with her mother's keys, carrying an unwanted passenger along with her. That stupid lacrima.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Well, I hoped you enjoyed! This is going to be a collection of stories (that will only be updated when I get writer's block) that will eventually lead back togther, and actually make sense, and have a main plot. ^.^

As always, read, comment, review or do whatever you want to tell me your opinions and critiques. I'm always up for new advice and haters just gotta hate, I guess. ;)

Anyways, that's all for now!

Nora, out~


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